Sometimes the winningest coach is not the best coach. But coaches around the Central Section agree that wasn’t the case this season — and that’s why Bullard High’s Igal Francis is The Fresno Bee’s Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.

Francis, who joined Bullard this season after nine years coaching the Clovis High boys, led the Knights to the Central Section Division I title and into the final of the CIF Southern California Regional. Bullard lost 2-0 to El Camino Real-Woodland Hills in the SoCal D-I championship to finish the season at 23-4-2.

Bullard won the County/Metro Athletic Conference at 9-0-1 and beat Central 2-1 in the section final. In the SoCal he Knights knocked off Valencia-Placentia 2-1 and Torrey Pines 3-1 to reach the SoCal final.

“He is one of the true good guys out there, working hard every day on the soccer field and in the classroom,” said Clovis High girls coach Jon Howerton, who has known Francis for 20 years. “Even if he came in last place this year and didn’t win a game, I would feel that he is worthy of recognition.”

Francis, who teaches social science at Bullard, said he takes pride in helping his players grow not only as athletes but as people.

“Jackie Robinson once said that, ‘A life is not important except in the impact that it has on other lives,’ ” Francis said. “I believe that coaches have the power to not only impact but to profoundly change the lives of the young people whose care is entrusted to them. Therefore I believe that the fundamental duty of a coach and a teacher is to try their hardest to give the athlete and the student the most positive experience they can while demanding excellence.”

Francis was born on St. Kitts, a British-owned island in the Caribbean. His family moved to England when he was a child, where he developed a passion for soccer and cricket. He played for both school and district teams while growing up.

“I had hopes of a trial at Leeds United, the local team that I am passionate about,” Francis said of his soccer career. “Unfortunately, I did not make it.”

He played for many of the local semi-pro/amateur soccer teams while in England. Francis moved to the United States in 1988 with his wife and children and earned a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from Fresno State. He coached his first varsity team at Central (1998/99) before moving to Clovis High, where he led the Cougars to 110 wins, two Tri-River Athletic Conference titles and into the section semifinals in 2000.

Said Howerton: “He is classy. He respects the game, the opponent, the officials and himself. He tries to promote the high school game and the players, even those on other teams.

“His former players that are at Clovis High School were at the [Central Section] final in numbers cheering for him. He raises the bar for all of us that coach.”